


Statistically Significant

by Beleriandings



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Amarië the social sciences polymath, F/F, Vanyarin ladyshipping, post-darkening Valinor is not really such a gloomy place
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2115882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beleriandings/pseuds/Beleriandings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the flight of the Ñoldor and after Finrod left her behind, Amarië began to research the wider reaching effects of such a drastic change in the make up of the Ñoldorin population. Now she's back on Taniquetil, about to publish, but there is a personal reason for her writing too. Elemmírë wants to hear all about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Statistically Significant

“ _It is a well-documented fact_ ” wrote Amarië, “ _that the flight of the Ñoldor had many far-reaching and entirely unintended and unforeseen consequences as far as the age, racial and gender structure of the population of Tirion is concerned._ ” She blew on the ink of what was the beginning of her fair copy, looking back at her draft, before continuing. “ _The following monograph will lay out the broader demographic changes brought about by the mass emigration of a significant section of Ñoldorin society, and will take a statistical approach to try to make quantitative predictions for the future. In addition, the author will present case studies to give an insight into the social phenomenon of - ”_

“Amarië? I thought you were still in Tirion!”

Her head snapped upwards, lifting her pen swiftly upwards and away from the snowy whiteness of her manuscript, lest it drip; it was a habit she had.

She frowned. “Elemmírë. Hush, we’re in a - ”

“A library, I’m aware of that” said Elemmírë, lowering her voice and sounding apologetic. She came to stand in Amarië’s carrel behind her chair, gently working her thumbs over the knots of stress in Amarië’s shoulder muscles. “How goes the writing?”

“I’ve finished it. I only need to make a fair copy to send to the printer now.”

“Good. And it’s delightful to have you back on Taniquetil, I must say. Since I finished my own research in Tirion, you’ve been the thing I’ve missed the most.”

Amarië gave a quiet laugh. “Really? Including that wonderful library? Now that  _is_  a complement.”

Elemmírë feigned consternation. “Well, I would say the library came a close second… it’s really quite difficult to choose…”

Amarië reached back, pulling Elemmírë’s head down and kissing her cheekbone, their golden hair mingling. “I need to write this damn thing. But meet me on the library steps when that monstrous head librarian finally sweeps me out for the night, and we can walk home and I’ll give you the latest gripping summary of my findings?”

“A private interview?” Elemmírë smiled knowingly. “I’d be honoured.”

———

Elemmírë’s face was outlined in stark planes by the moonlight and flickering light of the street lamp as she sat on the library steps.

“Sorry I took so long” said Amarië, as Elemmírë turned to meet her. “I just… I always get far too buried in my work, you know?” She rolled her eyes. “Editing once again while penning the final draft.”

“I know. By the Valar, I know.”

Amarië took her arm, and they began to walk.

“So” said Elemmírë after a while. “You’ve finished?”

Amarië grimaced. “Supposedly.” She indicated her bag. “The final draft is in there.”

Elemmírë was silent for a while as they made their way along a lamp lit street, before saying “Amarië? Are you… are you alright writing this? I mean… the subject matter and all… do you still miss him?”

Amarië snorted. “Who? Findaráto?” She considered for a moment. “Yes. I suppose I do miss him. For a while I thought we would marry.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to think anymore. I was a silly little girl, in a lot of ways, and Findaráto a silly little boy…” she grinned suddenly. “Still, in all the confusion after the flight of the Ñoldor, no one thought to take away my permission to use the palace library of Tirion, so that’s something I got out of it at least.”

Elemmírë laughed. “I like the way you think.” She paused for a moment. “But if you ever feel it getting to you…”  
“…I would tell you” Amarië smiled. “Now, what was that you said about wanting to hear my thesis…?”

“Oh, go on then.”

“Do you want to see my graphs?” said Amarië doubtfully. Her mouth quirked into a smile. “I have some charming data tables in the appendices too, if you would like - ”

Elemmírë batted Amarië’s shoulder with the end of her scarf. “Words. I like words. Just tell me.”

“Well” said Amarië. “The flight of the Ñoldor, which you yourself tend to frame in admittedly poetic and beautiful but somewhat qualitative terms - ”

“Was that supposed to be an insult…? No, never mind, carry on.”

“The flight of the Ñoldor brought about major demographic changes, not least because of the large gender imbalance it created in  _both_  sectors of the Ñoldorin population, the exiles and those that stayed behind.”  
Elemmírë clasped Amarië’s arm, grinning. “Tell me more.”

“Now, I necessarily can’t comment on what’s going on on the  _other_  side of the sea…” she frowned. “But here I was able to get access to the records from the census that King Arafinwë took just after the two hosts left. A very acceptable king of the Ñoldor, that one” she added, “and a charming and generally agreeable person. But still, I’m rather glad that I didn’t end up becoming his daughter in law, all things considered.”

“So…” said Elemmírë. “You did some statistical magic on your data…”

“I found that the Ñoldorin population pyramid is intensely skewed towards the female side, in laywoman’s terms, with the very young and the very old being the largest groups. The same was found for males, but the effect was less significant, mostly because an overwhelmingly larger percentage of all age groups of males went across the sea. In either case though, I theorise that the prevalence of older generations is the result of those who came across the sea on the Great Journey being reluctant to return, but that is a matter for further study. Maybe I can get another paper out of that!” She cleared her throat. “Now, as far as racial make-up of Tirion goes after the flight, that’s an interesting area too, many have packed up and left the Telerin quarter of Tirion, in protest as far as I can see, or to return to Alqualondë and help with the restoration. You even find half-Ñoldo half-Teler, or those that were born in Tirion but to Telerin parents leaving! The anger seems stronger in the younger generations, but - ”

“Go back to the thing about gender ratio” said Elemmírë. “And about Tirion being a haven for female-female couples. That’s my favourite bit of your argument.”

Amarië looked a little put out. “What, because it affects you directly…?”

“Why yes, in fact. Admit it, one of your case studies is an anonymous but rather obvious interview with me, about us.” Elemmírë darted a furtive glance behind them and pulled Amarië into the shadow of an alleyway, and looped her arms around her neck for a swift kiss. Amarië leaned into it before pulling away.

“I’ll admit no such thing!” She grinned, “at least not officially.” 

“There we go. Not very objective in the matter, are you? Bad research practices, you should be - ”

“Bad research practices? Me? A scandalous accusation.”

“Is it not true? You do have great personal motivation in reporting the increased acceptability of… this kind of thing.” Elemmírë cupped Amarië’s cheek, letting her fingers slip over the smooth skin, tangling in golden hair. Her arm looped around Amarië’s waist, pulling her close.

“This isn’t Tirion, Elemmírë, and even without the Treelight…”

“Hush.” She flashed Amarië a grin. “I’m just demonstrating how committed I am to your results. Tell me again the rest of your conclusions?”

Amarië rolled her eyes, but she was smiling faintly, linking arms with Elemmírë as the two of them continued walking. “I suggest, in my conclusion, that the increased prevalence of women amongst the intellectual circles of Tirion may be directly responsible for recent promising campaigns for the Valar to sanction the broadening of the definition of marriage, to recognise marriages between same-sex couples under Ñoldorin law. My case studies and interviews suggest that the campaigns were fuelled by, amongst other things, decreased reverence in the decrees of the Valar, the trend for the Ñoldorin people to believe less strongly in Valarin omniscience and partly…” she smiled, lacing her fingers through Elemmírë’s between them “…well, partly it was simply due to the large increase in female-female couples due to the aforementioned demographic shift.”

“All of which is to say that Tirion at least is a wonderful place to be a woman in love with another woman” said Elemmírë.

“Sweet Elemmírë, you are wonderful at incisive summaries” said Amarië.

“Well, I am a poet. Words are precious, elegant things, and you use entirely too much jargon.”

“We disagree on this count” Amarië, squeezing Elemmírë’s hand. “Still…” a wistful look crept across her face. “You are right, though. It is about me, to an extent. About us. And I miss Tirion; Taniquetil is lovely, but I must say I feel a little… well, I suppose a little alienated after being in Tirion for so long. I barely feel Vanyarin anymore, even though I grew up here. I feel as though…” she shrugged, and looked down at Elemmírë’s face, searching. “…as though we need to hide. More. I don’t know. I…”

“Shh.” Elemmírë placed a finger to Amarië’s lips, as they reached the steps of her house. “We live in a different world now.” She gestured at the moon. “Tirion is only the start, and your writing” she tapped Amarië’s bag lightly “will place you in history, I promise. By the time Findaráto gets home you’ll be famous, the law for same-sex marriage will have passed, and - ”

“I must say, I don’t care about Findaráto right now” said Amarië, sweeping Elemmírë into a kiss. She broke away, looking thoughtful. “The marriage campaign will benefit from a Vanyarin voice, the Ñoldor are still under something of a cloud to the Valar, I think. If I, a poor innocent betrothed girl, abandoned before her wedding day…” she hushed Elemmírë as she snorted, “…if I can bring some measure of credibility and respectability to the campaign, I will.”

“And from Tirion” said Elemmírë, looking pleased, “it will inevitably come to Taniquetil, and to Alqualondë… things are changing, Amarië. Unintended demographic consequences et cetera, as you say in your introduction. They cannot be resisted.”

They stood standing on the doorstep for a long moment, looking at each other. “Can I come in?” said Amarië at last.  
“I would expect nothing less” said Elemmírë. “We’re living in a new world. We should make the most of it.”


End file.
